Drones that hit Russian Izhevsk launched in an unusual way - Ukraine's new tactic explained
Photo: Ukrainian Liutyi drones that hit Izhevsk took off in an unusual way (facebook.com/14RegARMY)
Ukrainian Liutyi ("Furious") strike drones attacked a factory producing Shahed drones in the Russian city of Izhevsk today, July 1. Based on video footage, the UAVs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces had an unusual design, according to Defense Express.
The report says the Ukrainian Liutyi drones used in this long-range attack lacked landing gear.
Previously, the only known launch method for the Liutyi was conventional airplane-style takeoff. On the one hand, this allowed the drone to be launched without additional equipment - no catapult or booster was required.
On the other hand, it required a rather unconventional launch setup, with the drone being manually guided during takeoff, likely via radio control to manage acceleration, liftoff, and initial climb.
By removing the fixed landing gear system, engineers reduced aerodynamic drag, thereby increasing the drone's flight range. The lack of landing gear also made it less visible to radar systems.
However, eliminating the landing gear required changes to the drone's design. For instance, the gear could now detach after takeoff, or the drone could be launched from the roof of a vehicle accelerating to the drone’s takeoff speed.
Liutyi drones
The An-196 Liutyi is a long-range Ukrainian kamikaze drone. Its development was first announced by Ukroboronprom (Ukraine's largest arms manufacturer) in October 2022. At the time, the plan was to create a UAV weighing over 200 kg, capable of delivering a 75 kg warhead to a range of more than 1,000 kilometers.
The first production batch was ready in August 2023. On August 28, 2023, Ukraine's Special Operations Forces used these drones to strike the base of Russia's 126th Coastal Defense Brigade in Perevalne settlement, Crimea.
In late June 2024, it was also reported that Germany will provide Ukraine with over €100 million to support the development of strike UAVs like the An-196, which have a range of over 2,000 kilometers.
